First Thing—Read this!

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Dear NewsHounds:

Welcome to the online edition of JCOM 1130—Beginning Newswriting. As discussed in the syllabus, this is the same as the standard face-to-face newswriting class, but with some important differences.

Before we get into all that, however, you all need to read these files carefully.

Most of your work will be done using materials posted on your own dedicated blog, NewsHoundsOnline. Start on tour JCOM 1130 Blackboard site, which links to all requirements and assignments. The first requirement will be to read several files on NewsHounds in order to get up to speed using the resources available through Blackboard and your blog for this course.

If you click on the Index, you will be teleported to the complete listing of NewsHound assignments and materials.

Read the first seven items and get acclimated to the Blackboard system and to the course. The first two links—Blackboard Tech and Blackboard Tools—give you information on using Blackboard. Please explore the various Blackboard tabs; we will especially use Blackboard mail (file all assignments there) and Discussion (for weekly NewsTalk about news and journalism issues).

The third link provides general information about the launch of USU’s JCOM courses online.

The fourth link gives you some background information about the instructor—me.

Then comes a list of important dates in USU’s Fall semester.

Then the syllabus—read this thoroughly.

And finally, an explanation of your weekly news quizzes.

Please familiarize yourself with all this material during Week 1. Once you’ve reviewed these files, please click on Week 1 for other assignments.

Questions, email me through Blackboard.